Handmade dolls for sale in Hollóko, located in northeastern Hungary.

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The Busójárás is a celebration held exactly seven weeks before Easter and involves locals dressing up in sheepskin costumes with scary masks and noise-makers. The origins of the carnival are pagan in which revelers come to celebrate the end of winter.

Exactly seven weeks before Easter, the streets of Mohács come alive with the annual Busójárás Carnival. The pre-Lent festival features locals wearing sheepskin costumes while parading and dancing in the streets. Busójárás lasts six days, starting on Thursday and ending the day before Ash Wednesday. The carnival ends with a symbolic ritual called ‘The Burial of Farsang” in which a coffin is lit symbolizing the burial of all bad things that have happened throughout the year.

According to legend, the carnival originated from the Šokci (Croats) living in the town. During the 17th century, villagers dressed up in hideous costumes to frighten away occupying Turkish forces and rid them from the land. While this is the most recent legend, the tradition is likelier to have begun much earlier as a spring ritual intended to appease the gods.

Today the carnival is a popular attraction to visitors who come to experience the unique traditions of the town. Similar carnivals are also held in Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia, where many of the revelers at Mohács travel from.

This year’s festivities take place from February 16 to 21th.

How to get there:

Mohács is located next to the Croatian-Hungarian border, 120km south of Budapest. By car, take M6 (E73) to route 56 near Szekszárd all the way to Mohács. Buses to Mohács are accessible from Budapest Népliget station.

For more information about the Busójárás Carnival in Mohács, you can visit their official website.

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From imperial palaces, trotting white horses, lush gardens to chandelier-lit coffeehouses and fine wines, Vienna doesn’t disappoint when it comes to romance. So, if you’re looking to do something special to spark a little love in your life, here are just a few of the best things on offer in this historical city.

Admire “The Kiss” in the Upper Belvedere Gallery

Located in Prince Eugene of Savoy’s 18th-century summer palace is Gustav Klimt’s erotically charged “The Kiss”. Considered a masterpiece of the early modern period, this gold-brushed, mosaic-like painting portrays a couple locked in a tender embrace on a bed of flowers. A must see!

Horse-drawn carriages in front of the Hofburg Palace. Photo courtesy of WienTourismus/MAXUM.

Indulge in sweet goodies at the Altmann & Kühne

Altmann & Kühne have been producing handmade bonbons for more than 100 years using a secret recipe. Here you can buy fresh, handmade chocolates, marzipan and nougat bonbons in lovingly created gift boxes.

Attend a world-class performance at the Staatsoper

Nothing says romantic Vienna quite like a night at the Staatsoper. Constructed in 1869, this lavish auditorium is the scene for world-class opera and ballet and the celebrated Vienna Philharmonic.

Explore the Hofburg Palace

Previously a medieval castle, this stunning imperial palace was the Hapsburgs’ home until 1918. Wing by wing, it was expanded continuously over 800 years. Today Hofburg houses three museums which afford historically authentic insights into the traditions and everyday life of the imperial court.

Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through Vienna

Few ways of exploring Vienna that are more romantic than being pulled by a horse and carriage. Sit back, relax and snuggle up to your sweetie while taking in all of the city’s famous landmarks. You can find carriage stands in Stephansplatz, Heldenplatz (occasionally Michaelerplatz), Albertinaplatz, Petersplatz and Burgtheater.

Savor fine Viennese wines at Wieno

Opened in 2009, Wieno is the city’s first wine bar dedicated exclusively to Viennese wine. Here you can find a selection of 60 wines produced by more than 20 of Vienna’s top producers.

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‘Tis the season once again in Budapest, where the city is transformed into twinkling, aromatic open-air markets. Filled with traditional arts and crafts, mulled wine, and tasty eats, these holiday bazaars offer a great way to experience some of the local culture while shopping for special gifts. The largest and most colorful market is located at Vörösmarty Square which includes over 100 wooden pavilions as well as a live music and stage performances. The other four main markets are located at Saint Stephen’s Basilica, Liszt Ferenc Square, Gozsdu udvar and the Museum of Applied Arts.

Visitors walk through the Christmas market in Vörösmarty Square.

A vendor serves a cup of mulled wine to a customer.

Christmas tree decorations hanging on display at a stall.

Fresh sausages for sale at a meat stall.

A vendor cooks meat on a grill.

A vendor serves a bag of roasted chestnuts to a customer.

Kürtöskalács (also known as chimney cakes) on hot coals.

Stuffed cabbage and other street food for sale.

Visitors having a drink at a stall.

Budapest Christmas market souvenir mugs.

Nativity scene in the market.

Visitors skate at an ice rink next to St. Stephen's Basilica at night.

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View from Szent István tér with St. Stephen's Basilica.

Spending Christmas in Budapest can be a really wonderful experience. From stunning Christmas lights on many of the busiest streets, festive concerts, markets offering handmade arts and crafts, and delicious seasonal food, there’s something to delight everyone from young and old alike. So, if you’re wondering what to do during the month of December, here’s a few suggestions on how you can soak up the Christmas atmosphere in Budapest.

Budapest Christmas Market

Vörösmarty Square is home to the annual Budapest Christmas Market from mid November and onwards. More than 100 wooden pavilions are set-up offering handmade quality folk arts and crafts. In addition to shopping, the market offers a variety of food and drink specialities such as forralt bor (mulled wine), kürtoskalács (sweet Hungarian pastry), kenyérlángos (flat bread baked in a cob oven), as well as smoked meats and sausages. The market attracts both locals and tourists alike.

Christmas Lights

Budapest has thousands of Christmas lights that illuminate buildings, bridges, churches, and monuments throughout the city. Take stroll in a different neighborhood each evening to enjoy the beautiful and magical atmosphere.

Christmas Tram

Budapest’s special Christmas tram has become so popular with passengers since it first started in 2009, that its once again making its debut this year. The Ganz UV class tram, dressed up with thousands of LED lights is running by the river both in Pest (Line 2) and Buda (Line 19), every day until January 1 (except on December 24 and 31). Everyone can hop on with a valid regular ticket. Free for kids under the age of 6.

Concerts in St.Stephen’s Basilica

Enjoy a festive music concert in the stunning St. Stephen’s Basilica within the historical quarter of Budapest. Its great acoustics makes it the perfect place to enjoy a music concert.

Music & Wine Gala Concert: 100 Member Gipsy Orchestra

Every year on December the 30th, the music & wine gala by the 100 Member Gypsy Orchestra takes place at the Budapest’s Congress Centre, where audience can enjoy a festive performance with a sumptuous dinner. The two-part show includes famous tunes by Strauss, Rossini, Khachaturian, Brahms, Bizet, Liszt and Tchaikovsky as well as folklore tunes interpreted in a special and unique way that characterizes the “100 Members”.

The Nutcracker at the Budapest Opera House

Tchaikovsky’s world famous fairytale ballet, “The Nutcracker” will be at the Hungarian State Opera House. Tickets sell out early although performances last until the beginning of January.

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Transylvania is so strongly associated with popular culture and modern horror folklore that for some people it can be hard to believe that it’s actually a real place. Yet Transylvania lives up to its famed legend, even though nineteenth-century novelist Bram Stoker never even set foot here.

Side street in Sighisoara. Founded by German craftsmen and merchants known as the Saxons of Transylvania during the 12th century, Sighisoara stands as one of the best-preserved fortified medieval towns in Europe.

Nestled at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, much of Transylvania remains relevantly untouched and unexplored. This is where Europe’s largest concentrations of brown bears, wolves, chamois, and lynxes, as well as an abundance of forests, craggy foothills, and rolling fields can be found. Come summer, these areas are a godsend for hiking and mountain biking, while the snows of winter provide ample opportunity for some of Eastern Europe’s best skiing and snowboarding.

If spooky interests bring you to this area, Transylvania will not disappoint. Brasov stands tall as the cultural hub of the region with its Gothic-style monuments like the Black Church and the Piata Sfatului as well as its zigzagging cobblestone alleys and stone townhouses with peaked roofs adorned with crumbling brick shingles. Further north, is Sighisoara which stands as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. In Sinaia, there is the lavish Peles Castle, the former summer residence of Romania’s longest-serving monarch, King Carol I. There is also Sibiu which received a facelift for its term as European Capital of Culture in 2007, while Cluj-Napoca’s friendly student base make it a Romanian party central.

Travellers who arrive by train can expect to be greeted by local families that will invite you to stay in one of their scenic guesthouses. Unlike a traditional vampire tale, taking up the locals on their offer of hospitality is usually rewarding, as it provide a glimpse into the everyday life here. Of course, if staying with a stranger is too scary, there are plenty of hotels and other accommodation options available.

View of Brasov city square. The city's most famous landmark is the Black Church.

Dracula’s face is unavoidable throughout Transylvania as both his Hollywood vampire visage and his historical antecedent Vlad the Impaler adorn every manner of souvenirs from t-shirts to coffee mugs to bumper stickers. While the commercialization of everyone’s favorite vampire might seem tacky and off-putting to some visitors, the Gothic legend is undeniably an underlying theme for the region. While Dracula or at least Vlad the Impaler did exist back in the 15th century, our present day image of this notorious prince that is famed for his love of cruelty, heinous acts of torture, and the intense hatred he bore towards his enemies is influenced by the rumors spread by many of his medieval adversaries. For many Romanians, however, Vlad was a heroic figure; a leader in the fight against Ottoman occupation.

Adding to the mystery, at least three different castles have claimed Dracula as their one-time owner; the most famous of which being Bran Castle just outside Brasov. While the historical link to Vlad the Impaler is dubious at best, Bran Castle’s alpine setting, imposing architecture, and interior riddled with secret passages and romantic courtyards make it a definite must-see.

In truth, we may never know the real Vlad, and that may be for the best. While his enigmatic legends and those of the region itself are steeped in all kinds of darkness, it remains an important aspect to Transylvanian’s allure. But come soon, as the pace of change in this country is reaching unprecedented speeds; and especially after Romania’s accession into the European Union, as rural horse wagons and rustic homes are increasingly giving way to automobiles and modern buildings. In the mean time, however, the delicate dance between Transylvania’s truth and legend will continue to inspire those who set foot on its cobblestone streets.

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Budapest has eight bridges that extend across the Danube. Each of these bridges have played an important role in the development and infrastructure of the city. Some have even become icons because of their influence and engineering wonder while others are known for their remarkable beauty. Here’s a brief highlight of each bridge that includes some facts and statistics.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

Year opened: 1849
Length: 202 meters
Type: Suspension bridge

One of the city's most famous landmarks, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge was the first bridge to span the Danube connecting the two halves of the city Buda and Pest. It is named in honor of its initiator, István Széchenyi, but was actually built by Scotsman Adam Clark. In 1945, Germans troops destroyed the bridge as well as all the others that were in existence at that time. The bridge was rebuilt in November 1949.

Margaret Bridge

Year opened: 1876
Length: 637.5 meters
Type: Suspension bridge

Margaret Bridge was built according to the design of Emile Gouin who worked together with Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the creator of the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty in New York. It became into the most used bridge in the city until it was blown up, parts of the Pest side in 1944 from an accidental explosion and then parts of the Buda side in 1945 by German troops. The great need for the bridge made the repairing go fast, and it was opened again in 1947.

Liberty Bridge

Year opened: 1896
Length: 333.6 meters
Type: Suspension bridge

Although radically different in structure, Liberty Bridge imitates the general outline of a chain-type bridge, which was considered an aesthetically preferable form at the time of its construction. The bridge was opened in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph in which the last silver nail was inserted into the structure by the Emperor himself, and the bridge was originally named after him. Each post of the bridge is topped by a mythical turul bird.

Elizabeth Bridge

Year opened: 1964
Length: 637.5 meters
Type: Suspension bridge with portal frame

The Elizabeth Bridge received its name from Queen Elisabeth, a queen in Austria-Hungary, who was assassinated in 1898. The original bridge was completed in 1903 but was destroyed during World War II and could not be restored. The new version is a white suspension bridge which connects from the base of Gellert Hill and into Kossuth Lajos utca, perpendicular to Vaci utca.

Arpad Bridge

Year opened: 1950
Length: 981 meters
Type: Beam bridge

As the Hungarians came to “Hungary” in 896, they were led by the chieftain Árpad. He is also the name giver of the most northern bridge of Budapest, the Arpad Bridge. Though it carried the name of Stalin from its opening in 1950 to 1958, it regained its original name in 1958. It is said to be the most used bridge in Budapest. It also contains a little bridge, connecting it to the northern side of Margaret Island.

Petofi Bridge

Year opened: 1937
Length: 514 meters
Type: Truss bridge

Rather nondescript in design yet functional, Petofi Bridge connects Boraros ter with Goldmann Gyorgy ter. It is named after Petofi Sandor, Hungary's most beloved poet and a hero of the Hungarian War of Independence, during which he was killed in 1849.

Lagymanyosi Bridge

Year opened: 1995
Length: 494 meters
Type: Steel girder bridge

Named after the south Buda district of Lágymányos, this bridge is the southernmost and second newest bridge in Budapest. The new Hungarian National Theatre and the Palace of Arts is located directly across from the pest side of the bridge.

Megyeri Bridge

Year opened: 2008
Length: 1,862 meters
Type: Cable-stayed bridge

Megyeri Bridge, previously known as the Northern M0 Danube bridge, is the newest and longest bridge in Budapest. It connects Újpest with Budakalász through the Szentendre Island. A naming poll to determine the new name of the bridge caused controversy and received widespread media attention.

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The Old Jewish Cemetery, over 100,000 people are known to be buried here from the early 15th century to the 17th century. The site is reportedly to be one of the most haunted in the city.

Prague may come as no surprise as a spooky city due to its turbulent history and the many myths and urban legends that surround its top attractions.

Whenever you believe in the supernatural or not, visiting these so-called “haunted places” make for a fun way of discovering the city.

You can find many tour groups in Prague that offer haunted walks throughout the year. 

Charles Bridge

During the Middle Ages, this bridge held the heads of ten lords who were executed. Their heads were stuck on poles and placed on the bridge. It is said that the ghosts of the lords haunt the Charles Bridge still today. If you hear voices singing as you cross over the bridge around midnight, you can attribute it to the spirits of the headless ghosts.

Charles Bridge at dusk. Originally this was a place of execution for the Old Town.

The Church of Our Lady Before Tyn

This Gothic edifice began as a humble church serving residents in the mercantile town in the 14th century. Among the residents who lived in the settlement was a Turkish immigrant. When his betrothed ran off and married another, he flew into a rage and chopped her head off. He is said to wander around the Ungelt courtyard carrying the decapitated head.

St. Vitus Cathedral

In the 1600′s, Prague Castle was the home of Emperor Charles IV and his four wives. They were all buried beneath St. Vitus Cathedral. It is said the wives can be heard bickering amongst themselves in the night.

Old Royal Castle

In 1618, two Catholic governors were thrown out of a high window by a Protestant leader. The incident ignited the Thirty Years War. The bitter ghosts of the governors are said to roam the area seeking revenge for the wrongs committed against them.

Old Jewish Cemetery

The oldest existing Jewish graveyard in Europe, this cemetery was used from 1439-1787. The numbers of grave stones and numbers of people buried there are uncertain, because there are layers of tombs. However, it has been estimated that there are approximately 12,000 tombstones presently visible and there may be as many as 100,000 burials in all. This area is said to be the most haunted part of the city.

Strahov Monastery

A poor woman resided near the Strahov Monastery around the time of the plague. As her children died, one after the other from the pestilence, she used what few coins she had to ring the chapel bells. When she died, the bells continued to ring out, and on dark, moonless nights a hymn dedicated to Mary is said to be heard long after everyone has left the chapel.

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Split’s fish market, known locally as “Ribarnica“, is located along Marmontova street, and is one of the main points of interest within the city. Fresh fish are brought in by local fishermen and the daily offer depends heavily on weather conditions. It opens early in the morning and closes around lunch time, giving locals enough time to buy their supplies for the day.

In the evenings, a restaurant located across from the market offers a wide variety of fresh seafood prepared in traditional Dalmatian style.

Patrons at the entrance of the fish market.

Fishmonger arranging his catch of the day.

The market still follows old traditions in which fish are not refrigerated but placed on ice or other simple cooling methods.

Northern bluefin tuna, a highly valuable commercial fish. The northern bluefin tuna is depicted on the reverse of the Croatian 2 kuna coin.

Mussels, which are a speciality of Dalmatia.

The outdoor section of the fish market along Marmontova street.

Patrons looking to make a purchase at a fish stall.

Red mullet, sardines, cuttlefish, and squid.

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Locals buying lángos at the Fény utca market, which is a popular place to have the deep-fried snack in Budapest.

If you’ve got a craving for lángos, you may want to visit the Fény utca market in Budapest which sells the deep-fried snack.

There are two lángos stands in the market, one of the upper floor and the other on the bottom floor. Both offer a wide variety of sweet and savory toppings including the most popular version of shredded cheese and sour cream (sajtos-tejfölös). Other toppings include sprinkled sugar, ham, and even cabbage.

Although, it’s easy enough to find lángos in Budapest, this place certainly stands apart from the rest. The lángos sold here is very flavorful with good consistency. It is also quite affordable with the average price of just 200 forints. Most of the people who frequent here are locals, so you know its got to be good!

Lángos with sour cream topping. Both sweet and savory toppings can be served on lángos.

The lángos is served on a wax paper, from which you can eat it from the tables in front or take it with you as you shop in the market.

Perfect at any time of the day, this is a great place to come and enjoy authentic street food in Hungary.

Just look out for the red and yellow signs that say “lángos” at both ends of the market.

Fény utca market
Lövöház utca 12., II. district, (behind the Mammut Shopping Mall)
Monday– Friday 6am–4pm, Saturday 6am–1pm

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